Cotton-harvester



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sl1eet 1. G. H. ZEMPTER, R. A. MANNING & G. W.OVERALL.

COTTON HARVBSTER.

No. 483,824. Patented Oct. 4, 1892.

Witnesses,-

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. H. ZEMPTER, R. A. MANNING & G. W.OVERALL.

COTTON HARVESTER.

No. 483,824. Patented Oct. 4, 1892.

me new: ravens co, PNOYO-LITNO- wAsumcn'on, o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE I-I. ZEMPTER, REUBEN MANNING, AND GEORGE V. OVERALL, OF MEMPHIS,TENNESSEE.

COTTON-HARVESTER.

SIPEOIFIGATION forming part of LetterslPatent No. 483,824, dated October4., 1892. Application filed April 2, 1892. Serial No. 427,527. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE H. ZEMPTEB, REUBEN A. MANNING, and GEORGE W.OVER- ALL, citizens of the United States, residing at Memphis, in thecounty of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Cotton-Harvesters; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert-ains tomake and use the same.

Our invention relates to machines for picking cotton; and it consists ofcertain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same partsare indicated by the same letters.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the machine for picking cotton.Fig. 2 represents a rear View of the cotton-picker, the left half of themachine being shown in section on the line y y of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3represents a section of the suction-pipes and centering-plate along theline a: a: of Fig. 1. Fig. at represents a plan view of the machine.

A represents the front axle, and A the rear axle, both of which shouldbe bent upward in the center to pass clear of the cotton-plants.

B represents a box or receiver carried upon the framework B and having awire cover or screen I), the said box acting as a receptacle for thepicked cotton.

0 represents the drivers seat.

D represents a hind wheel, attached to which and turning therewith isthe drum D, on which moves the belt cl, which is crossed, as shown. Thisbelt turns the fast pulley D on the same shaft with another fast pulleyD which latter is connected by the belt (1 to the pulley D on the sameshaft with the fans F. These fans revolve in air-chambers F and suck inair through the pipes H, delivering the air and cotton through the pipesF into the wire-covered box B. These pipes may be made either flexibleat their lower ends or telescopic, as shown at 71 with hole h in theinner side thereof. This lower section H may be raised or lowered tosuit the height of the cotton-plants in any suitable way. One method ofdoing this is shown in Fig. 1, where 72 represents a rod attached at itsupper end to a bell-crank lever pivoted to the upper section H at 7L3and having arms h and 71 to the upper one of which the rod h is pivoted.This rod is pivotally connected to the hand-lever h, which may be heldat any desired position by a springpawl engaging in the rack-bar h.

K represents a bent plate having wings 7.: and curved rear portion inwhich the ends of the suction-tubes H are free to move up and down, asshown. These wings it pass on either side of the cotton-plants and guidethe branches into the rear curved portion 70 of the bent plate and infront of the apertures h in the suction-tubes H.

The operation of the device is as follows: The harvester is drawn withits wheels astride of the rows of cotton-plants, the bent axles enablingall the parts of the vehicle to be kept clear of the plants until theplate K is reached. Here the stalks and all the spreading branches areguided into the space between the holes h, and the cotton is sucked fromthe bolls by the rapidly-revolving fans F. It is carried through thefans and blown through the pipe F into the wire-covered box B. The airescapes through the meshes in the wire and the cotton remains on theinside of the box, whence it may be removed when desired.

It will be obvious that only one fan need be used, that the holes in thetubes H maybe on the outside and not on the inside and may pick from thesides of the adjacent rows, and that the device might be altered in manymechanical details without departing from the spirit of our invention.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. In a machine for picking cotton impelled by any suitable power, thecombination, with a wheeled frame, of a fan or fans revolving in aclosedair-chamber, a suctiontube formed in two sections, with a telescopicjoint connected to said fan, the lower section of said tube opening ator near the cotton-plants for drawing in the cotton, a system of leversfor raising and lowering said lower section, a delivery-tube leadingfrom said fan for the discharge of the cotton from the fan, and a receptacle for the cotton at the end of said delivery-tube, the saidreceptacle having an apertured cover, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for picking cotton impelled by any suitable power, thecombination,with a wheeled frame, of two fans revolving in two closedair-chambers, two suction-tubes, .each formed in two sections, with atelescopic joint connected to said air-chamber, with openings on theinner side of each for suckingin the cotton, and means for raising andlowering the lower ends of said suction-tubes, a guide-plate having aflaring mouth opening on either side of said suction-tube for guidingthe cottonplants in front of said openings, a deliverytube leading fromsaid air-chamber, and a re oeptacleiat the end of said delivery-tube,with a wire screen or screens covering said recepe tacle, substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

3. In a machine for picking cotton impelled by any suitable power, thecombination, with a wheeled frame, of the driving-pulley D, attached toone of the wheels of said frame, the belt (1, the pulleys D and D, keyedon the same shaft, the belt (1 the pulley D and fans F, keyed on thesame shaft, the telescopic suction-tubes II, with means for raising thelower end of the same, the delivery-tubes F and the receptacle B, havingperforated 3o cover, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a machine for picking cotton impelled by any suitable power, thecombination, with a wheeled frame, of the driving-pulley D, attached toone of the wheels of said frame, the belt 01, the pulleys D and D keyedon the same shaft, the belt d the pulley D and fans F, keyed on the sameshaft, the telescopic suction-tubes H the rod h", connected to themovable section of said tubes, the hand lever h rod b and a bell-cranklever connecting said rods h and h", whereby the lower end of the saidsuction-tubes may be raised or lowered, the delivery tubes F and thereceptacle B, having a perforated cover, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE H. ZEMPTER. REUBEN A. MANNING. GEORGE WV. OVERALL.

WVi tn esses:

K. BUTTENBURG, PLEXIE THOMAS.

